Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60S—SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60S1/00—Cleaning of vehicles
  • B60S1/02—Cleaning windscreens, windows or optical devices
  • B60S1/04—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers
  • B60S1/32—Wipers or the like, e.g. scrapers characterised by constructional features of wiper blade arms or blades
  • B60S1/38—Wiper blades
  • B60S1/3806—Means, or measures taken, for influencing the aerodynamic quality of the wiper blades

Definitions

• Technical Field Tnis invention relates to the structure of a windshield wiper which -supports a squeegee for wiping a windshield and which distributes pressure applied to the squeegee from the wiper arm. It is well known that such structures interfere with the natural air flow pattern created about a windshield when a vehicle moves at high speed and that in certain circumstances this interference will result in the windshield wiper being lifted away from the windshield with obviously undesirable consequences.
• Wing attachments secured to the windshield wiper body and shaped to redirect the air flow pattern so as to push the wiper against the windshield, are one of the kinds of structures which have been developed to address this problem.
• the windshield wiper superstructure itself is profiled to disturb an oncoming air stream to cause a drag effect instead of a lift effect, for example in U.S. Patent No. 4,400,845.
• a major surface of the wiper is inclined relative to the windshield in use.
• EP 0280806 the degree of inclination of this surface relative to the oncoming air stream varies along the length of the primary yoke.
• Another approach to the problem has been to provide apertures to allow air flow to pass through the structure as in U.S. Patent No. 3,089,174 which illustrates a squeegee formed with a series of pressure relieving holes distributed along its length.
• the object of this invention is to provide a windshield wiper superstructure having an aerodynamic profile whereby the tendancy of a wiper to lift away from a windshield in use is minimized.
• a longitudinally extending primary yoke for use in a windshield wiper assembly adapted for connection to a wiper arm driven to reciprocate the assembly over a windshield with and against a natural prevailing air flow over said windshield characterized in that, the primary yoke comprises transversely spaced leeward and windward sides relative to said air flow, said sides having a predetermined separation between opposed inner surfaces thereof which increases from a minimum at an operative bottom side of the yoke to a maximum at an operative top side of the yoke remote from the windshield and defining a gap therebetween which extends through the primary yoke between the bottom and the top sides thereof through which gap air may pass, thereby minimizing any turbulence which may be created when said air flow impinges on the primary yoke.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a windshield wiper assembly incorporating a primary yoke made according to tne invention
• Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the wiper of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view from the top of the primary yoke;
• Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the primary yoke from the leeward side;
• Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the primary yoke from the windward side
• Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the primary yoke
• Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the primary yoke
• Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of the primary yoke
• Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 7
• Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view on line 10-10 of Fig. 7
• Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view on line 11-11 of Fig. 7
• Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view on line 12-12 of Fig. 7 showing the profile of the primary yoke
• Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the primary yoke
• Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the primary yoke
• Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of the primary yoke
• Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 7
• Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view on line 10
• Fig. 13 is a similar view to Fig. 12 on line 13-13 of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 14 is a similar view to Fig. 12 on line 14-14 of Fig. 1; and
• Fig. 15 is a perspective view from the bottom of the primary yoke.
• a windshield wiper assembly according to the invention is generally indicated by numeral 20 in Fig. 1 in an operative orientation on a windshield 22.
• the wiper has a superstructure comprising a primary yoke 24 which is attached on its windward side to a wiper arm 26 driven by a motor (not shown) to reciprocate over the windshield 22.
• a pair of secondary yokes 28, 30 are attached to respective ends of the primary yoke 24.
• Tne secondary yokes 28, 30 are pivoted between their ends to the primary yoke 24 such that an inner end lies underneath the primary yoke and an outer end is exposed to define an extension of tne primary yoke.
• the outer end also defines an outer extremity for the windshield wiper 20 and has a pair of oppositely directed claws for slidably receiving a windshield wiper refill 31 including a squeegee 32.
• a first tertiary yoke 34 is pivoted between its ends to the inner end of the secondary yoke 28 and also has, at each end, a pair of oppositely directed claws for slidably receiving the refill 31.
• the inner end of the secondary yoke 30 has oppositely directed claws to receive the refill 31 and at its outer end, pivotally supports a second tertiary yoke 36 of which the inner end lies underneath the associated secondary yoke 30 and the outer end is exposed to define a continued extension of the secondary yoke 30 and the primary yoke 24.
• the outer end of said tertiary yoke 36 also carries a pair of oppositely directed claws which similarly to the other claws, slidably receives the refill 31. It will be noted that this arrangement of the tertiary yoke 36 at the inner end of the wiper allows the wiper to conform to a greater curvature in the windshield 22.
• the subject of the invention is the primary yoke 24. It will be appreciated from the description which follows that the arrangement of the secondary yokes and tertiary yokes as described above are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the protection sought.
• the primary yoke comprises transversely spaced leeward and windward sides 42, 44 (Figs. 3, 6) which extend along the length of the primary yoke 24.
• An adaptor 46 (Fig. 1) is slidably received between the sides on a pair of opposite inwardly directed stubs 40 and establishes the connection between the primary yoke 24 and the wiper arm 26.
• a pair of opposed apertures 41 is also formed in the sides 42, 44 for location of a pin (not shown) attached to the wiper arm 26 and secured in the adaptor.
• Transversely extending webs 48, 50, 52, 54 lying generally parallel to the windshield 22 in the operative orientation of the wiper 20 bridge a gap 55 defined between the leeward 42 and windward 44 sides and are provided at the ends of the primary yoke 24 and centrally between the ends to either side of the stubs 40.
• Apertured opposite flanges 38 depend downwardly from the end webs 48, 50 and pivotally receive the secondary yokes 28, 30.
• Locating flanges 39 (Fig. 7) provided between the flanges 38 are received in corresponding slots provided in the secondary yokes.
• a passage for receiving and accomodating the adaptor 46 is defined by the central webs 52, 54 and the leeward side 42 and windward side 44.
• the central webs 52, 54 have some thickness for added strength and rigidity in this area of the structure.
• the gap 55 extends through the primary yoke 24 between the top and bottom sides and allows air to pass through the structure. In this way, any turbulence from a prevailing air flow 64 (Fig. 1) over the windshield impinging on the primary yoke 24 will be minimized.
• the transverse width of the primary yoke 24 is a minimum between the apertured flanges 38, and a maximum in the vicinity of the stubs 40.
• the webs 56, 58, 60 are oriented upwardly to minimize the surface area exposed to the air flow 64 and any resulting turbulence.
• the inner surface 62 of the leeward side 42 between the end webs 48, 50 and the central webs 52, 54 adjacent the adaptor 46 is inclined toward the windward side 44 such that the distance separating it from the windward side is a maximum at the top of the yoke 24 remote from the squeegee 32 and thereby defines a ramp for directing air flow through the primary yoke 24.
• the effective height of the leeward side 42 above the windshield 22 exceeds the effective height of the windward side 44 for a portion of their lengths, that is between said end webs 48, 50 of the yoke and the central webs 52, 54 adjacent the adaptor 46.
• the leeward side 42 is exposed to the natural prevailing air flow 64 (Fig. 1) across the yoke and over the windward side 42.
• Figs. 12 and 14 show that the relative heights of the windward and leeward sides 42, 44 vary along the length of the primary yoke such that the vertical separation between them is a maximum near the end webs 48, 50 and a minimum at the central webs 52, 54.
• This configuration allows the downward pressure applied to the primary yoke 24 from the arm 26 to be maximized at the ends 48, 50 of the primary yoke 24 where the connection is made to the secondary yokes 28, 30. In this way the pressure from tne arm 26 is distributed and applied to the squeegee 32.
• the exposed portions of the secondary yokes 28, 30 adjacent the pivot connections with the primary yoke 24 are similarly profiled for continuity in the appearance of the wiper and have respective spaced leeward and windward sides. Hie relative heights of the leeward sides to the windward sides on the secondary yokes 28, 30 are a maximum at the joints with the primary yoke 24 and decrease gradually until the leeward sides and windward sides are equal at the ends remote from the wiper arm 26.
• a windshield wiper superstructure including a primary yoke made according to the invention provides a surface which is inclined relative to an oncoming air stream conveniently providing a ramp for directing any air impinging on the primary yoke through the structure and harnassing the force of this air to positively push the wiper against the windshield with a minimum of turbulence.
• This is particularly advantageous in orientations of the wiper which approach the parked position in which the predominant air flow cannot simply pass between the primary yoke and the underlying secondary yokes.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Quality & Reliability (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
• Window Of Vehicle (AREA)
• Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
• Automatic Cycles, And Cycles In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=24401724

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (47)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (26)

• 1990
  • 1990-10-19 US US07/599,936 patent/US5179761A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1991
  • 1991-10-16 JP JP51632591A patent/JP3194001B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-10-16 CA CA002094043A patent/CA2094043C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-10-16 WO PCT/CA1991/000365 patent/WO1992006868A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1991-10-16 DE DE69103018T patent/DE69103018T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1991-10-16 EP EP91917731A patent/EP0553150B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1991-10-16 DK DK91917731.1T patent/DK0553150T3/da active
  • 1991-10-16 AU AU87131/91A patent/AU650489B2/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (3)

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